Author: Karly Lane
ISBN: 978-1-74237-910-4
RRP: $29.99
When I picked up Karly Lane’s new release Morgan’s Law I was expecting a ‘farm lit’ of the type I’ve been reading recently, all of which have been thoroughly enjoyable.
I was prepared for city girl heads to a rural area for family reasons, meets super sexy country boy and sparks fly causing city girl to reassess her life, realise new priorities and live happily ever after. That is NOT what I got.
Morgan’s Law contains an element of romance but in the big picture it is quite a small element. The mystery and history elements are much larger and surpassed only by the compassionate and sincere focus on the heartbreaking consequences of the harsh realities of rural life.
The writing style is flowing and easy to read which makes this a light read even when the subject matter is delicate and heartbreaking. Lane brings the very real issue of suicide in outback Australia out of the closet and into the limelight in a way that addresses the desperation of the victim and the struggle faced by the loved ones left behind.
There were a couple of twists that I found totally unexpected, and that is something I love in a book. To keep the reader involved you need to have a twist or a hook but quite often even the twist turns out to be a little predictable – not this time.
I couldn’t see some of the characters as clearly as others and the ones that were still a little fuzzy were ones I didn’t really want to see any clearer, either because they grated or they only played small roles. The main characters though, that’s a different story altogether. The main characters were vivid and inspired strong emotional responses, not always good but definitely strong.
The older generation play a huge role in this story which, though necessary to the plot, I found quite unusual. There was a lot of emphasis on the history of the region in Morgan’s Law and it was just recent enough for there to be residents still alive that lived through the events and to fill the gaps in the unearthed secrets their input was vital.
It was refreshing to read of the relationship Adam shares with his grandfather, still living together on the family property; it’s something that seems to happen a lot less in city and suburban living.
This close relationship shared between Adam and his grandfather offers a sharp contrast to the relationship Sarah shared with her Gran as an adult, made even more emotional when coupled with their closeness through Sarah’s childhood.
Sarah’s an Aussie girl working on making her dream career a reality in London when her much loved Gran passes away in Australia, she comes home for the funeral and receives a letter containing her last wishes. Sarah can’t bring herself to follow the wishes just yet so she heads back to London, with the letter in her bag and at hands reach any moment.
Walking in on her live in boyfriend with another woman is enough of a catalyst to send Sarah running back to Australia to follow Grans wishes and take stock of what’s next for her.
Lane has written a wonderful story of self discovery, of family and of ties that bind even when their invisible.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
Glad you enjoyed it Michelle!